Reviews

Snap!!

CC Voltage Berliner Pilsner / Bummer Party 7″

Seriously, this one has elements of garage, glam, power pop, and even a little hint of country. I’m not kidding. Leave it to the Canadians. It’s super catchy and I’m certain that if you had a lyric sheet, you’d grab a hold of that and be singing along in no time. The vocals have a great rhythm about them and the songs are well-written. The only drawback, and this is really a personal thing, is that there’s a little too much lead guitar work at times.

Desenterrados Christine EP

Reuniting members of early ’80s Spanish punk act LARSEN, DESENTERRADOS serves up two different styles on this four-song EP. You get some bouncy, low-budget power pop on the catchy “Christine” and Too Many Fights,” and some sinister and rousing street punk on “Revolución” and the closing “Siempre Lucharemos” for a cool little combination plate.

Dirt Royal Shoot Me Now / Better Than Worse 7″

Two peppy numbers of self-described mod/punk. I get more of the punk than the mod, but feel free to disagree with me. Super catchy, I found myself bouncing my head non-stop. I’d even say more power pop than mod. Super tight, I found myself putting this back on again and again. The sing-along vocals on the second track were particularly good, I thought. I’d go out of my way to find this one.

Eddie Mooney & the Grave Telephones / Down the Drain 7″

Wow. Close your eyes and pretend you’re in the Virgin Megastore circa 1979 looking for the latest power pop gem. This thing is infectiously catchy and melodic and easy to listen to. If pop music hadn’t shit the bed starting about 40 years ago, this thing just wouldn’t be reviewed by MRR. It’s pop music. But it’s really good and it’s performed by four (or five or whatever) dudes/women, not by a team of hundreds. Like it or not, you’ve got to like that it’s honest and sincere.

Food Fight Shenanigans EP

A French band on a Spanish label! Why can’t the whole world get along that well? Track one gets started with a super catchy power pop number that’s super melodic, but almost has a little herky-jerkiness going on. It’s a fine start and leaves me wanting to hear more. They slow things down a tad on track two, but it remains very catchy, with an almost CARS-like lead guitar. Track three is another power pop cut with vocals that remind me of MADNESS, despite the fact that it is not at all a ska sound. And they round it out with one that continues very much in the same spirit of the others. Overall, four strong songs that are quite easy to listen to. More than bouncing my head, this one has me shimmying my shoulders. It’s a subtle but important difference.

Larsen ¡No! EP reissue

I love a niche, boutique reissue label precisely for bringing me nuggets like this early ’80s power surge of militant Spanish punk. A bit of an overlooked artifact, and it’s not earth-shifting material, but this is pretty ferocious stuff that manages to stay catchy. The vocals have interesting character, veering somewhere between theatrical snottiness and political vitriol. Also, the bass tone is great, much brighter and more present in the way records from this time often get right. “Vomitas Sangre” is definitely the standout here and scratches an itch for something truly unhinged. The rest is worth hearing, but there aren’t really any revelations to be found in this brief historical document.

Manual Scan Plan of Action EP reissue

A fixture on the SoCal mod revival scene, this band of San Diego mop-tops produced a brand of power pop heavily indebted to ’60s garage and freakbeat. MANUAL SCAN’s debut 7″ EP Plan of Action (a spiritual cousin to SECRET AFFAIR’s “Time for Action”?) was originally released in 1983 on their own Dance and Stance label, and we find it reissued here by Snap!! Records out of Madrid, who also recently released an EP by fellow American mod revivalists MOD FUN. Upbeat, unpretentious, and delightfully catchy, every song on here is a winner. The opening track “Nothing You Can Do” swipes its vocal hook from the YARDBIRDS’ “For Your Love” (no one ever said the mod revival was original), while my personal favorite “New Difference” is punchy yet wistful. Recommended if you like the early singles by the LAST, or if you’re just a fan of the ’60s as filtered through the ’80s. Double nostalgia!

Mod Fun …Tea Four 2 EP

This one’s a bit of a head-scratcher. I’d say the name is a bit misleading, as this isn’t a mod band, at least not in my mind. These guys were an ’80s pop band from the New Jersey area. They broke up and reformed in 2004 and are still playing. This is a four-song EP, with the A-side consisting of a BADFINGER cover and a YARDBIRDS cover. They don’t really do anything with either song and come across more as a cover band than a band with serious aspirations, at least on that first side. I’ve never understood that—if you’re going to cover a song, make it yours. The two originals on the B-side are fine pop songs with at least a little new wave influence, and both are rooted in harmonies. Neither will knock your socks off, but both are totally fine.

More Kicks More Kicks LP

This three-piece from London delivers some solid power pop with a bubblegum sheen. You get a very polished and clean recording all the way through, which can feel a little clinical, but there’s a fair amount of fuzz here, as well as occasional vocal distortion. The bass comes through really strong, almost too heavily in the mix. Overall, I think the tracks are well-balanced and inspire singalongs on the first spin. Guitar is piercingly clear, though not as gritty as I’d like it to be. They sound like mod revival and more on the ’60s garage end of the power pop equation. Typically I’m into stuff with faster riffs when it comes to this genre, but I like it just fine. Though it’s not credited on the the liner notes, it sounds like there are keys on the track “She’s a Reaction,” and it’s a nice melody to fit in. My favorite song is “I’m on the Brink,” though I still do wish it was just a smidge faster. Cool band, good way to start off sunny days.

Motosierras Nene de Barna EP

Alright mates, I’m not going to mince my words here, this is truly complete and utter shite. Four dads who clearly are old enough to know better writing plodding, mewling, anodyne bollocks for the benefit of absolutely no one. Where they get the sheer brass neck to try and compare this to the RAMONES or MOTÖRHEAD is beyond yours truly, because the only thing I can even begin to suggest they have in common is that they all own guitars. Avoid this like diphtheria.

Polansky Y El Ardor Ataque Preventivo De La URSS EP reissue

Originally released in 1982 as a 12” EP, Snap!! Records has done a great service by reissuing Ataque Preventivo De La URSS as part of their ongoing Revival series. Although POLANSKY Y EL ARDOR was part of the second wave of punk to emerge from Madrid’s bustling scene, their sound is firmly rooted in 1977. The title track is an infectious ditty with a distinctive double-picked guitar line and sing-along chorus. Not far afield from the VIBRATORS or BUZZCOCKS, I’m reminded most of the utterly fantastic Finnish band 013. “​​Y No Usa Laca” is a killer tune as well and exhibits POLANSKY Y EL ARDOR’s use of a saxophone, which comes to prominence on the somewhat dour B-side cut, “Chantaje Emocional.” Beyond being a fascinating document illuminating a corner of Spanish punk history, this reissue also provides an excellent opportunity to get your hands on an underappreciated gem.

Psychotic Youth The Bellevue Tapes EP

PSYCHOTIC YOUTH is an old school Swedish pop punk group. The Spanish label Snap!! Records was kind enough to collect these tracks, which served as demo tapes to the band’s 1991 record Be in the Sun. Overall, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The songs are pretty high quality for demos, the band has got a ton of energy, but it all ends up feeling a little too nice around the edges. The sound is caught between a RAMONES throwback and a proto-GREEN DAY. If that sounds like something up your alley, by all means give it a try, but otherwise I wouldn’t suggest it.

Radio Days I Got a Love EP

Pop music with punk influences. Is there anything better? Awesome. I can hear the PARTRIDGE FAMILY in this! That’s a high compliment. I can also hear the EXPLODING HEARTS. At its core, this is pop music made by folks whose musical interests are varied and broad and include stuff that stretches way beyond the Top 40. If you like power pop that is catchy and maybe even a little corny at times, you’ll like this one. I loved this right off the bat, and I feel confident that it will continue to grow on me. Worth looking for.

Rarito Edición Especial Para Zurdos LP

Some of my favorite power pop of all time has come from Spain. This one starts off in super melodic fashion and features male and female vocals, which I’m a total sucker for. All the songs are in Spanish, which I quite enjoy. It sometimes bugs me that bands from non-English-speaking countries feel compelled to sing in English. Anyway, this is nicely done. The songs are on the shorter side, which is always good for my attention span. Mid-tempo, sometimes a little faster, and melodic always works for me. It also seems these guys might be a duo. I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for duos.

The Reflectors Faster Action LP

Cake icing. The REFLECTORS are sweet, almost cloying, but balanced, more like butter cream?  On Faster Action, the L.A. power pop foursome belts out a crisp twelve songs in the vein of the ZEROS, mixed with equal parts PHIL SEYMOUR. The band has done their homework and put an emphasis on riff-laden lead guitar, vocal harmony, and lyrics that Chrissie Hynde would approve of. The LP has some great standouts like “All Made Up,” “Radio Signals,” and “Can’t Sleep Tonight” that bring the aesthetic and sensibility that defines power pop. Throughout the cuts you can hear the REFLECTORS coming together and finding their sound, which adds to the appeal. Faster Action is catchy and yummy with a little filling, look forward to seeing what’s next for this band.

Tos Máquinas EP reissue

It looks like this is a re-release of an EP that was originally released in the late ’70s. It also sounds like that. From Spain, it’s got a pleasant poppy sound, with really jangly guitar. The vocals are focused on harmonies and are well-done. It’s mid-tempo and catchy, which is always a plus for me. Labeling music is kind of a funny thing for me, but I do wonder if this would have been considered punk in late ’70s Spain, or some sort of alternative pop. It’s pretty cool, either way. I like it.

Varonas Instinto Animal EP

Given that there are Spanish labels involved here and the songs are sung in Spanish, I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that these folks might be Spanish. Whether or not that’s true, if you’re a fan of female-fronted, sometimes up-tempo power pop with a focus on the vocals, this is likely for you. There’s nothing that says that your punk rock or power pop can’t come from someone with a pretty voice. Three quick songs, and just like that, it’s over. Well-played and well-produced. I wanted more.